(RWBY) Wilt - A Blackened Rose
by springtrap1115
Summary: As Ruby keeps sneaking out of the dorms at night, Weiss demands to know what goes on in the mind of her increasingly alienated lover - but what she finds out triggers the systematic downfall of both their lives and of Beacon, one that nobody is sure they can stop.
1. 1: The Ever-Opening Flower

She was chaos

And beauty.

Intertwined,

A tornado of

Roses from divine.

**\- Shakieb Orgunwall**

* * *

[**Summer**]

Her scythe was driven into her first real victim. Blood covered my dear rose in its embrace. Petals quickly turned black by her unspeakable act. My rose has finally become the daughter that I've always wanted.

[**Ruby**]

I shot up out of my bed, covered in sweat. These nightmares had been haunting me for a week now, and I can't take them anymore.

"Ruby." A voice called to me softly. I turn to see a barely-awoken Weiss. "Ruby, what's wrong? You've been like this for a while now and you refused to talk to me about it." I groaned mildly, rubbing my eyes slowly. "Look, if you don't tell me, then I'm gonna go wake up Yang and Blake." I shifted my head towards the other side of the room; Yang and Blake were out cold.

My disinterested face grew into a wide smile I as turned back to Weiss, throwing my arms around her, capturing her in a kiss, trying to get her to forget her worry. She kissed me back and before we knew it, we made love in the bed, quietly in the night.

We could've kept going, had Yang not woken up to throw a pillow at us. After that, Weiss fell asleep in my embrace. I held her closer to me, thinking... thinking of the person that I love, of the monster that I had became, of the life that I had took. Weiss may never forgive me, but I must obey my goddess's will.

"Oh god, no!"

Crimson followed my blade, as I slashed at my victim. My face twisted to a wide smile as I giggled at my deed.

"Mother will be proud," I whispered to myself, as I picked up and carried the corpse to the Beowulf's mother sent to watch over me. The beast began to devour this unfortunate human's skin and left its flesh to rot as a sign of its evil.

I hopped onto the Beowulf's back, and it carried me to Beacon Forest. Then, I jumped off and bolted back to Beacon's dormitory before my team realized that I left.

Black petals trailed behind me.

[**Weiss**]

Ruby left without a word, again. Where could she have possibly gone this time?

"Ugh, I'm gonna kick Ruby's ass when she gets back! All this leaving and sneaking and, just, ugh!" Yang threw her fist into the wall in frustration.

"She left around two this morning with Crescent Rose in her hand," Blake added without looking up from her book. With that, the room became silent for a while. A little more longer than I was comfortable with.

"Then... then that means Ruby's been lying to me for weeks. She won't talk to me. She promised she would." I stared at the ground, but I felt both Yang and Blake's eyes staring at me. Tears swelled up in my eyes as I got up and stormed out of the room.

"Ruby," her name slipped from my lips as I walked aimlessly through the halls of Beacon.

[**Ruby**]

I snuck into our dorm room, and hopped onto my bed. I laid there, thinking of Weiss. Her scent covered my body as I took it in from the sheets. With lidded eyes, I let my mind wander. My body became hot as those thoughts of her got a little dirtier, a little more physical.

No one was here.

I took this as a golden opportunity. I may be a monster, but when monsters happen to be 17 year old horny girl... I let my eyes shut as I began to relive my hormones in this silent, empty room. Quickly reaching my climax, I saw a dark image: the innumerable bodies that I had slaughtered, caked in fresh blood, dismembered and disemboweled. With a shudder I threw my head back, shuddering in ecstasy as I hit an intense orgasm.

[**Weiss**]

I was sick of Ruby's lies.

I was heading back to the room after a long walk alone in the courtyard. I was gonna call her out and make her tell me what's wrong.

"That scheming dolt," I muttered to myself, absent-mindedly. Suddenly, I heard a yelp though the hall. I knew it came from our dorm room, so I bolted to the door and shoved it open in a near-panic.

What I saw would be stuck with me for quite a while.

I walked in to see ruby on her back, laughing, with dried blood on her clothes, and fresh orgasm on her fingers. Our eyes met, with suspension hanging in the air for what seemed to be years. Her cries of pleasure became cries of shame. Tears streaked her red face as she leapt up and tried to make a break for the window.

Struck absolutely dumbfounded, I came to my senses quickly. I froze the window shut, and froze her legs in place.

"Shit!" Ruby stared at me with bewildered, teary eyes.

That caught me off guard. I never even thought Ruby would use such language.

"Let me go, damn it." Ruby kept struggling. "Please!"

I was beyond mad; I was incensed. The lying, the cursing, the secrets she held from me... what happened to my Ruby?

In an instant, she pulled out Crescent Rose and began wildly blasting at the ice immobilizing her, trying to desperately get away. Without thinking, I ran to Ruby and wrestled it out of her hands before she could react. She looked into my eyes as I watched tears leaving hers.

She surrendered.

I spoke up after a moment of relative silence. "Ruby?"

She winced at the mention of her name. "W... why? Why have you been lying to me, I'm your girlfriend, I thought we... I thought you could trust me!"

Ruby said nothing; sniffles and sobbing were all I got in return. Still, I kept going, almost screaming in rage. "And why are you covered in blood? Who did you kill? Who?"

Still no reply. She glared at me with a sort of hatred in her eyes. Binding her hands together, I set her feet free and walked her to the bathroom, locking and freezing the door shut.I sighed. "This... isn't necessary," I said in a low voice, and freed her completely. Still, she stayed silent the whole time. I turned the shower on, undressed her, and began to wash the blood off her. "Ruby, talk to me."

Again, not a word.

I grabbed her and placed her wet face on my chest. She began to bawl. "I have to kill," she started. "I have to. If I don't, then you might be next instead." As her tears ran faster, my heart beat more. I think she noticed, clumsily grabbing me and digging her face deeper. "I'm being followed and controlled, okay! I must... obey her wishes, Weiss."

"Her?" I was confused even more now.

"Salem."

My buzzing panic turned into fear as Ruby sobbed and whimpered in my chest. So Salem had her under her control...

I'll have to save Ruby, no matter what happens now.


	2. 2: And The Sky Was Red With Blood

[**Ruby**]

All I saw was grey. Metal chains were almost burrowing into my skin as bruises and wounds covered my body. From what I remember, Weiss was in the hospital.

"Weiss..." Her name escaped from me as a whisper. What was she thinking, trying to save me, even after knowing what I've done? Still, my desire to see her intensified. As I stood up and began to pull on the chain fruitlessly, memories begin to fill my mind.

A door was broken open. Five men broke into the room. Weiss tried to wash the blood off of me. Everything started to get clearer from here...

"Ruby Rose?" I froze in fear. "You're under arrest for the murder of Jacques Schnee! Come out with your hands up!"

The washcloth fell on the floor with a wet slap. Weiss's mouth was agape. I could've swore she mouthed "What the fuck?", but I'm certain I'm remembering that wrong.

"Father? You killed my father!" Weiss pushed me away, jumping out of the shower. She threw her clothes on and sprinted out of the bathroom. Snapping back to reality I scrambled for my clothes, and followed.

"Ms. Rose, this is your last warning!"

In what I'm assuming was shock, Weiss stood in the main room, staring in amazement at the quickly devolving scene, and saying something under her breath all the while. Meanwhile, I ran past her and snatched up Crescent Rose, clutching it tightly around my hands. I wasn't going to be taken down easily, if at all. Not here. Not now.

I stamped my leading foot down in defiance, and one man came charging, pointing his blade at me for a thrust. I blocked, and slashed at his head, cutting his throat open. I kicked him into the other four men and quickly flanked them in the small room. I tripped one guard trying to break from the main group, and slammed Crescent Rose into his chest, breaking his rib cage and crushing the organs underneath.

As blood began to cover my body, I felt a chuckle escape my mouth. My roses turned black as the voice of my master muffled any and every other sound with its own.

"More await beyond this room. Do not delay, my little petal."

My vision grew red, and I had a murderous smile. Raising my scythe, I begin hacking at the other men, dismembering them with joyous aplomb. I turned my head to look at Weiss, who I realized just now was screaming in sheer horror. It was a sobering sight that broke my concentration, and returned me back to reality.

"Oh, Ruby, what- what is this?" Her gaze was transfixed on the dead guards, whose limbs were strewn about the floor.

"Weiss..." My voice trailed off. She stared at me in confusion.

"Ruby, why?"

"I..." I sighed. "There's more out there." I walked towards the window.

"I hope you can forgive me after this."

I sat there in the dark room, suffering in silence. The chains grew heavy and cold the more I struggled to think and remember...

I leaped out of the window, and my memory receded to the muddy darkness of insanity that held me before. I saw what seemed to be an near-army of men and women, some from Beacon, some from the other 3 kingdoms, all with their eyes trained on me.

There was only one way that could've ended.

I felt like a whirlwind, spinning Crescent Rose wildly, using the leverage of its heavily weighted head to cleave through armor and flesh like butter. I took out at least fifteen or twenty of them before I began having trouble. Soon, several huntresses and hunters surrounded me, keeping their distance cautiously. They all begin to fire and those who didn't have guns, expertly dashed towards me. I shifted priorities, and started cutting a bloody swath in them, dispatching five of them with fierce, disemboweling strikes.

I felt alive, seeing the blood of my enemies wash over me, and even after seeing the teachers, I continued on my path of destruction. One came bolting at me like lightning and slashed at me with his claws, lacerating my thighs. I winced in pain as I clumsily countered with my scythe, which he dodged with ease. My footing faltered for a moment, but that was all they needed as two other teachers wrestled Crescent Rose out of my hands and pinned me down.

My vision blurred. I feared this would be the end. I felt the judgement from within, and the shame that overwhelmed my mind.

Sounds approached me slowly, breaking my concentration. Footsteps? Or my imagination? I stood and tugged at my chains, letting out a blood-curdling cry that rang for what seemed like forever against the darkness.

No reply.

I fell to my knees and let tears escape me. All I could do is remember, remember and reminiscence...

"Ruby!"

Out of nowhere, I saw Weiss. She came charging in, freezing one teacher and, in a move that surprised me, fatally thrusting Myrtenaster into the other one's abdomen. Pulling me away, she blasted three others away, buying me time.

I felt a pang of guilt overshadow my gratitude. "Oh, Weiss -"

"Run. Run! You're lucky I came to help at all!

"Weiss, wait, don't -"

"I swear, you can be so stupid! Just go, I'll take it from here!"

At this point I barely remember registering images. I felt my eyes turn white as rage filled me. Lunging at the first person I saw, I gouged his eyes out, and tried ripping his entire forearm apart before scratching and beating his face into a barely registerable pulp. I got up and attacked two others in a similar frenzy, biting and scratching with the precision of a starved animal.

I managed to grab Crescent Rose from the person who took it from me, striking at their throat and leaving them to bleed to death. Witnessing more teachers of Beacon directly running towards me, I shot one in the skull with the large-caliber weapon, sending the victim flying back with her head splattered on the ground. Then I swung the Rose the other way around, shoving the bloodied blade into the last teacher's neck (Was he even a teacher? I could care less by then), decapitating him.

People everywhere - both trained fighters and citizens - ran for their lives. As I looked, my bare skin was soaked in blood and gore. I knew I looked like a true monster, a creature of legend given flesh and form.

Weiss, looking nauseous and concerned, ran towards me.

''Wait! Ruby, watch out!"

Weiss flung her body in front of me, taking a bullet to her chest.

"Weiss, no!" Her body slumped onto the ground. By then I started feeling pain. The pain of my wounds, and the pain of seeing my love on the ground, hurt because of me. It almost made me feel human again. Almost.

I turned my head. In the near distance, a figure in black glared with bared teeth and sharp, golden eyes, standing in tranquil fury.

It was Blake - Blake Belladonna.


	3. 3: With Fear, I Laid In Darkness

[**Ruby**]

Blake?

It was Blake?

Why did you pull the trigger? Why did you hurt Weiss?

I sat there in shock, holding my girlfriend's wounded body. A primal scream left my lungs, filling the sky with my vocalized despair. I held her close to me, screaming and crying, burying my face into Weiss's hair. Blake calmly walked over to me and pointed her gun at my face.

"Ruby, give up. No more blood needs to be shed."

I looked up at her and felt nothing but hate. Her quiet, unassuming tone raised the hair on my neck. "Why did you kill them? Why did you kill them!"

I glared silently.

Blake tried to compose herself, with her gun level against my forehead. "I knew there was something wrong... But there's nothing I can do except take you in.

"Give up, Ruby. Please."

I wanted to come to her, deep down inside. I just wanted this to be over, so that I couldn't cause this pain anymore. But my master would denounce me as a traitor, a disgrace. As quickly as the clarity came, my blinding hatred came back in full force, and I felt no love for my former teammate anymore.

"You... You bitch."

We stared at each other for what felt like eternity. Under her professional, cold demeanor, I swore I saw a hint of sadness in her somewhere.

"Why! Why did you hurt her, why did you hurt my Weiss? Why -"

A fist swung with the force of a plummeting comet landed directly on my head. My vision almost immediately turned to black. I hit the ground and looked up in excruciating pain.

"...Yang? No, oh no, Yang..."

My vision faded for good, and so did this memory. Torment consumed my body as I pulled and tugged on the chain restraining me.

I need to be free again. I gritted my teeth and pulled, until I ended up yanking my arm out of its socket with an audible 'pop'.

"Ow! Fuck!"

I fell in a slump. Ruby Rose, reduced into a subdued prisoner in the middle of who knows where. I felt tears swelling up within me, immersed in the pity of being a rose with no thorns.

Down the hall, three guards came running in my cell, with Jaune Arc by their side. The door was unlocked, and he ran to my side.

"Ruby? You okay? I swore I heard you scream."

I nodded my head in pain. "Yeah, it's my arm." I winced in agony, trying my hardest to keep the tears back. "It's broken."

Without hesitation, Jaune helped my body heal itself. At first I wanted to ask why he was even here, but I was tranquilized before I could even think of a response. My vision blurred and I felt the comfort of unlocked chains, and before I knew it, I was out.

I woke up to find my body healed of its injuries... And clad in thicker chains. Great.

I laid my head on the wall, and closed my eyes. In a moment of clarity, I started bawling in the cell. It felt like two different people in my head, tugging at the hemispheres of my brain.

Murder? Cold-blooded murder? "Oh god," I began, stricken with grief, before feeling a shudder of pleasure at the thoughts of my victims. "Oh god..." I threw my head back, my face contorting to a smile as I laughed in joy.

And then came the crying, again.

I could feel her, pulsing in the back of my head, serenading my mind again, feeding me the hatred I used to kill with no mercy. The shameless pleasure of ripping into human bodies with a sharp blade...

And then I remembered Weiss. I forgot everything and started crying, this time for a long while. By then, Weiss was all I could think about. The way her hair would fall every time she let it hang, and the feeling of her pale skin pressed tightly against mine...

I was trapped in my own mental hell.

A shadow appeared beside me. Stark white spots emerged from the dark as I sat there, crying. They were eyes. Eyes of judgement, maybe? Eyes to judge my sins, my crimes, the things I had to do in order to feel whole again.

I leapt up and flailed madly against the unsettling apparition, but that's all it was: a mere apparition. It wisped like smoke, like cinders cooling to dust in the black of night.

I stopped, realizing my vision degraded to hallucinatory windows. I slowly sat back down and rested my head on my skinned knees, softly crying.

The cell door opened. I didn't bother looking up. If it was part of my imagination, so be it.

"Ruby. Salem needs you. She needs you to be free."

I craned my neck up to see none other than Adam Taurus. "Adam...?" My voice sounded hoarse and dry, a pale imitation of its former cheer. Still, I refused to show weakness. "Why are you here? I thought the White Fang was disbanded." I looked at him with a cocky grin.

Adam had none of it. "Listen here, girl," he began, clearly paying no heed to my irreverence. "I can bring it back, and finally destroy you worthless -" He paused, making sure to emphasize his words clearly to me "- humans. I don't need you. But Salem does. If it wasn't for her, I'd slit your neck open myself." With a swift motion, he pointed his blade at me.

I chuckled. I laughed. In fact, I threw my head back and almost lost myself in a gregarious laughter. He hadn't realized how utterly hopeless I felt, how far down I had gone, assuming this even was Adam. I kicked his hand away, making him drop the sword. He grunted in frustration as I laughed at him.

"I can, and will, beat your ass senseless, with no hands!" He was fuming, but I sneered at him, too tired to care. "So you should watch what you say to me, girl." Sighing heavily, he picked his blade up and broke the chains off of me.

Finally. It felt so good to be free.

"Now, I'm assuming you're familiar with Weiss Schnee," Adam said.

"Yeah, I said, standing up and stretching my aching bones. "She's my girlfriend."

"Well, they never actually healed her."

I was taken back in rage. "But what? Why?"

"They're just stalling on her care. After your little performance earlier, they refuse to even consider releasing her in fear that she would break you out."

I was too tired to accept the circumstances. She's been laying on a bed, half dead for who know how many days. I need to get to her. Fast.

Adam must've sensed my frustration. "There's no way you'll get to her. She's guarded by Ozpin himself. Face it Ruby, he'd easily kill you on sight by now." I cursed under my breath. The worst part of all this is that I know he's right.

"Well, what should I do," I asked.

"Come with me to Salem. She misses you."

I turned away.

"Well, fine. But I can't leave Crescent Rose behind."

Adam opened a door. "In here." I looked at where he entered. "Now grab it. Let us leave this place."

"Fine by me!" I scooped up the great scythe and joined Adam. Pushing my doubts back, it felt good to be free, ready and willing to fight for my master once again.


	4. 4: Stingers Of Laughing Dead

It took me two long, grueling days to even get close to Salem's lair. My body was tired, and my mind was tired from the loneliness of the whole ordeal. The innumerable amounts of grimm in the area could sense my fear, and I could sense them back, hiding in the shadows. However, there was something that kept them there, something that left them ready to strike... Maybe in anticipation of something bigger.

"Oh Ruby... Just a little bit more, and we can be together."

Salem... That voice was hers, but she was nowhere in sight.

The journey was uneventful, mostly long stretches of quiet travel, with nothing but my excitement and fear keeping me company, until tonight. Adam and I were walking a jagged pass made of pure stone. The wind whistled and whipped, and the shadows were impenetrable.

Right as I was ready to call it a night, from the cover of darkness came a faunus with a large, freakish scorpion-like tail. He immediately thrust his wrist blades at me, which I dodged easily. As I took out Crescent Rose, I caught Adam calmly walking away.

He never did say he'd give me safe passage, that jerk.

I turned Crescent rose into its gun form and fired at my assailant's tail when I caught his face: Tyrian.

"Looks like you remember me, bitch," Tyrian snarled.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault you lost part of your tail!" I grinned wide, out of sheer stress and heavy gloating. "Oh wait - it was!" I broke into a menacing laugh, provoking him into fighting me.

Soon, I was trapped in a whirlwind of madness as bullet clashed against blade. Grimm slowly began to circle me and Tyrian as we fought, with a heavy rhythm - I stepped out, fired a round, Tyrian stepped in closer for the kill, I step out to repeat - but soon, one of us had to falter, and before I knew it, his stinger stabbed my thigh. I frantically grappled and yanked it out of me. Then, with Crescent Rose, I sliced it right off.

"Damn it, what's with you and my tail, you prick!"

I threw his severed tail down and shot it apart.

"It's not my fault you were born with a big target growing out of your butt - blame your parents!"

Tyrian went silent in the absence of his pride. He glared at me, and bolted, plunging his blade into my arm so deep, it was almost severed. I shrieked in agony, dropping to the rocky ground. Letting go of Crescent Rose, I cradled my torn forearm. The blood loss made my head spiral as my vision faded. In between my sobbing and screaming, all I could hear was the echoes of laughter.

Everything was red. I opened my eyes slowly, dizzy from shock. When I took in my surroundings, I was confused.

"Where - what is this?" I laid on a large mattress, under moody red lighting. As I moved my right arm, I could feel velvet sheets under me. This room was massive, not to mention luxurious.

"Took you long enough." Adam leaned on the door. It took me a lot to not call him an asshole. "You're wanted. I'll escort you out." Groaning, I got up from the bed, and I felt the blanket fall off. To my embarrassment, I looked down to see that I was completely nude. As I clumsily covered up with the blanket, I felt my face grow hot.

Adam heavily sighed, seemingly for no other reason than to piss me off further. "Go to the table, get dressed, and let's go. I'm growing tired of you, girl." I did as he said, and I walked behind him, out of the room and into vast black and velvet red halls.

It took us a while, but we eventually reached a large conference room, with a long table surrounded by chairs. At the head of the table was the main woman herself, Salem. With one hand outstretched, she motioned me to sit. I couldn't help but.

"So," Salem began, her eyes peering deep into my soul, "You finally made it. I've been waiting for so long, my Rose."

I didn't respond.

"I'm certain you were pleased with your arm's recovery, no?" Of course, my arm - I didn't even bother to look at it since I woke up. I looked at my left arm to see it covered in a murky, black substance. "My babies, they gave their own blood to heal you. Your arm should be better when all is said and done. More... Stronger."

I worked up the courage to speak my mind. "I'm - I'm not here for you, Salem. I hope you know that. I'm here to get strong enough to save my love. Nothing more." Salem spared a pithy chuckle for me.

"Well... Only way you can do that is by serving me. Completely, and utterly." My anger began to rise. Salem's only brought me misery and loss, and she knows it - she enjoys it. The worst part? She's right - I'll have to follow her; in truth, it's not like I had a choice anyway. "I'll train you, and I'll give you that power which you lust after. Then, we'll destroy Ozpin. I'll have the pleasure of personally slaying him where he stands, and you? You will have your Snow by your side as the towers burn."

Despite the price, I was sold, and Salem could easily tell. She stood up and beckoned me to follow her. We walked out of the conference room, and I headed into the darkness, where she is waiting for me.

It was two months, and they passed with little incident. I was at the peak of my strength. It seemed as if grimm ran at the sight of me, no matter the type. I refused to feel human anymore. These petals were meant to be forever black, and to reflect it, my outfit was changed accordingly.

I was in the training room, trashing a dying nevermore, when Adam walked in.

"Well Ruby, it's time." My eyes widened in anticipation. "It's time to save your Weiss." The mention of her name put a wide grin on my face, and I left the room, leaving the monstrous bird broken and suffering. We hopped onto an airship and began our ascent. I stared out at Shattermore, thinking of one thing: I missed her.

The menagerie of emotions that I had stuffed unceremoniously months ago began their slow trickle forward. It was an unwieldy, disorienting mess of guilt, shame, and self-loathing the likes of which I hadn't anticipated before in a while. But as quickly as it flashed, I shoved it down deeper in my mind, as I focused on my search for my long-lost love, Weiss Schnee.


	5. 5: Upon a City of Screaming Statues

Finally, I'm here at last!

Our airship landed in a town near Beacon. I walked out, and covered my face in a mask that bore the markings of a beowulf. My clothes were completely black, lacking the flared skirts I'd usually wear. I must've looked like an unruly delinquent, one you'd curse only after the doors were locked, and the lights were on.

I walked through the town center, looking for the hotel that Adam told me to go while he dealt with something.

Walking in, I immediately saw the receptionist, a stern-looking young man, casually sharpening a blade. I removed my mask, walked towards the counter, and rang the bell on the countertop.

He didn't even bother looking at me. "What is it, little girl, ain't it bedtime for you?" He still sharpened the blade indifferently. I rang the bell again.

"I don't serve kids here."

As he placed his weapon on the countertop, I clutched his hand holding the blade, staring at him with lidded eyes, grabbing his attention.

"I was hoping for a room, sir..." He stared at me in a mix of fear, confusion, and lust, silent as my grip grew stronger. "But if you don't want to give me a nice room..."

I stood on my toes and leaned over the counter, giving the man a large view of my exposed cleavage.

"...then I'm gonna have to cut that cute..."

I squeezed his hand even more. He was getting very nervous. I dropped to an ever-quiet whisper.

"...little..."

His eyes darted between my breasts and my hand. I leaned until I almost butted heads with the man.

"...dick of yours, right off. Got it?" Between his lust and terror, he nodded rapidly. I flashed a wide smile as he handed me a key to the top floor.

"Why, thank you. Now was that so hard?"

I turned, and before I walked away to the stairs, I pulled my pants up in deliberation, just to frustrate the silently staring receptionist more.

I got to the top floor and found my room at the very end of the hall. I opened the door and was greeted by its sheer size: A queen-sized bed, a massive bathroom with a full tub, a flat-screened television that nearly took up half the vaulted wall, and an impressive gallery of paintings on the walls. I whistled in awe, staring around the room.

"Finally," I said to myself, "I can wash these old clothes for once." I immediately stripped and turned the tub on, filling it with water. Submerging my clothes, I began to see the dirt and grime diffuse into the clear water.

Clear water... Was that what I was like? What I used to be?

Shaking my head, I distracted myself with scrubbing the clothes. After a bit, I hung them up and refilled the tub again to bathe. I sat in it and closed my eyes, letting my body relax for once in a long time.

I remembered clearly. It was four months after my mother disappeared. Me and Yang were in the bath together, splashing water everywhere, laughing and playing, as kids do. The memory played in my head for twenty minutes, until I opened my eyes and got out of the tub. I dried myself off and went to bed, tired as I ever was.

Next thing I knew, it was 7 am, with the sun shining brightly against the window. Absentmindedly, I got up, grabbed my now dried clothes and left the room. I get to the bottom floor to see the receptionist, who looked at me in fear.

"Um, Adam said... to meet him at the south end of the town. Ms. Rose." In the dining room I grabbed a bagel and rushed out the building. With my semblance and a rudimentary sense of direction I dashed to where Adam was in minutes.

"I see you finally got up. We need to leave." I pretended not to ignore the obvious annoyance.

"I know, I know." I grabbed him bridal-style and rushed to Beacon, slowing down as we got closer so we wouldn't be found out. We get to the entrance and without hesitation, I dropped Adam on his ass.

"Ugh, what was that for?" he groaned.

I smugly grinned. "No reason."

There was no real plan for this. My - or rather, 'our' - only goal was 'Save Weiss.' The only thing that was going to happen between then and now was the sheer amount of people I'd have to kill. I pulled out Crescent Rose, ready for the long journey ahead, and Adam did the same.

On the count of three, I kicked the doors down and anyone that happened to be there were immediately killed by me. Adam ran ahead, taking everyone out in his path with stoic efficiency. With a slow-burning hatred, I slaughtered any and all that I saw, dismembering with speed.

After a minute, the halls and courtyards were near-empty. I walked slowly through the hall, muttering to myself, waiting for someone to be in my sight.

"Ruby, stop!" I froze in my tracks and turned around at the familiar voice - and there I saw Yang, who stared at me in worry more than anything else. "Stop this! Oh god, Ruby, why? Why are you killing everyone? What happened to you?"

I looked to see if anyone else was around. "Yang, look, I have to, they haven't taken care of Weiss and they turned you and Blake against me. The way I see it, it's time everyone suffers!"

"No!" Yang looked at me through teary eyes. "No, no, no no no... Ruby, don't you see? Look at yourself..." I leered at her with caution, holding back those doubts that were threatening to burst forth.

Yang inhaled sharply, seemingly on the edge of a full-scale mental breakdown. "Look at yourself! You're becoming the very person we'd fight! Misjudged, extremist, you're a ruined parody, Ruby! A mock... a mockery of who you once were."

Tears flowed from Yang's eyes as she continued her impassioned argument. "I just wish... I... why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell us, why didn't you tell me?" She fell to her knees and started sobbing in her hands.

I felt something that I hadn't experienced in a long time: the unbridled weight of guilt. Like a fist pounding heavily against stone, I felt battered and hopeless against the realization of my actions. The balance between care and cruelty. Hope and horror. Love and lust. Two minds within one body, fighting against each other with teeth and claws until one of them is dead through attrition.

My heart grew heavy. I walked over to her and hugged her, cradling her head against my stomach. "I... I love you, sis."

I'm going to regret this.

I knocked her out, driving my elbow into her skull. It made me cringe doing it - another feeling I hadn't felt in a while - but this would give me time. I picked up my pace and before I knew it, I fell back into my bloodlust. I caught up with Adam.

"I'm heading to the entrance now. The rest is yours. I'll keep everyone out." I nodded and continued ahead.

[**Blake**]

What's with this screaming?

I was trying to enjoy a new arrival from the library, but the voices - as usual - made it hard to think. I stood up and left. I step outside to see trails of blood from Beacon's entrance, leading to... him.

My ears flattened, and my hair stood at end. I took in the situation, of this bastion of hope, in bloody ruin, with Adam Taurus at the helm of it. I felt fear, but I couldn't run. With Beacon under attack, I had to defend it. I unsheathed Gambol Shroud and attacked. He dodged me easily.

"Oh, Blake. It's nice to see you again."

His voice was just as disgusting as I imagined it.

"How does it feel to be controlled by these humans like a pet, hmm?" He smacked me across the face, sending me flying to the concrete floor.

"I bet it feels really good, to be under subjugation!"

He walked to me, readying his blade for the death blow.

"Blake!" Yang bolted towards us and was about to strike Adam when he stood up and slashed. Her arm was severed, blood flying through the air. She landed beside me, onto her back.

"Yang, no!" I got up, grabbing her with no response.

"Blake Belladonna." Adam smiled at me. I cringed hearing my name from him. "This is your fault. If you weren't so weak, then she could still have an arm! But don't worry, because I can make all of this pain go away. For the both of you!" He slashed down but only hit my after-image. I was running with Yang in tow, to somewhere safe.

I can't make sense of this, but I'm going to find out who did it. The violence, the madness, and... him.


	6. Intermission I (Author's Notes)

So, this is my first fanfic i have ever wrote. i wrote this fanfic in 2018 around march, with the help of my BF, who has really good grammer skills compaired to me. My grammer is utter shit but my story telling is good.

I will be updateing 2 storys every day or when i feel like it, sense its done. once i get to chapter 15, it will be done.

Me and my BF are planning to start a second part to it, in another charter point of view, it will be the aftermath of the mayhem yet to come.

So please, comment and tell me what you think, especially at chapter 15 so i can make up another story for the next point of view.

Thank you for likeing and reading my story, its means alot to me and i hope you all have a good day.

:D


	7. 6: Beautiful Wounds

[**Blake**]

Did I get far enough?

Can I trust someone to help? Can anyone help? I saw the destruction throughout the campus. Men and women left mutilated and membered, yet most left alive in states of agony.

Throughout my panic, questions flung around my mind as I ran through alleys, trying to get Yang somewhere safe.

She won't stop bleeding. Covered in blood, I sprinted through the alleys and corners until I bumped into someone.

"Yang's arm! Where'd it go? Where'd y'all go?"

Nora! If no one else, she can help, "Nora! Take Yang, and get her to a hospital. Then, call your team. Head to the school."

I handed over Yang, and turned on my heel and bolted back to the school.

Whoever did this, I'll make them pay. The people they took from me: Ruby, Weiss, Yang...

I'll kill them for this, whoever they are.

[**Ruby**]

I felt my stomach churn as I was smacked across the hall. I only had seconds to recover and dodge.

The man was fast. He wasn't called headmaster for nothing. I anchored Crescent Rose so it would protect my injured arm. It was my weak spot - I can't protect it with aura anymore. Due to the Grimm that was placed in me, it took up half of my upper arm and shoulder. Thanks mom!

"Ms. Rose, you should really start paying attention to me, instead of being in the clouds."

I focused back on Professor Ozpin after he struck me with his cane.

"I'm sick of you!" The words just came out as I fired several shots and rushed him with speed. He was forced into the bullets' path, grazing his left leg, shoulder and the edge of his neck.

"Why would you help Salem, Ms. Rose? You of all people should be aware that she..."

I knocked him out. Along with the relief came a familiar feeling in my stomach. I shoved it back.

"I'll spare you, Oz. I never wanted to kill you."

I continued my ascent, and I finally saw the door. Weiss...

I ran and busted the door open.

In a crippled state among red stained sheets lay Weiss. All the hate I had mutated to sadness, to see her like this. My brief excitement quickly faded, and I slowly walked up to the bedside. I removed the sheets and was met with a sight so repulsive I could recall every detail years later.

Her skin was covered in grime, and was cold, almost icy to the touch. Her wounds weren't even covered; her pale skin was slowly being consumed by necrosis, with dark, crust-like patches of dead flesh marring her body. She looked like the corpse of someone left to rot in a ditch, but against all odds, I could sense that she was alive, somehow.

I removed my hood and gently wrapped it around her body. I picked her up, holding her tightly. I look at her face. "I'll make sure they suffer for this, my dear."

I ran, not out of excitement, but fear.

[**Blake**]

There was only one question on my mind: Where was Adam Taurus?

I was at the entrance, out of ideas. I was going to walk in until I heard footsteps. Instinctively I got into fighting position.

These footsteps were close. I saw the silhouette of a figure. Something that came closer into view, slow and deliberate in its steps. My eyes constantly focused, until I got...

...Ruby holding Weiss?

It was. I saw Ruby's mouth contort, and words I thought I would never hear uttered from her came out.

"You. You - you bitch! Why? Why are you here!" Her eyes turned stark white. "You hurt my love! You almost killed her, and left her to rot in the hands of fools!"

Left her to rot? I had a lump in my throat that I felt grow.

"Ruby..." In that moment, I felt fear. This isn't the girl I knew, even though I desperately wished otherwise. This is someone else. This is a monster.

I pulled out Gambol Shroud and prepared for certain death. She brought this pain upon us all tonight, and now I have to make her atone. I didn't want to.

"Blake." Her voice was cold, indifferent, uncaring. "If Ozpin can't put me down, what do you think you will?" She chuckled, each laugh echoing slightly through the vast, barren yard. I steeled myself in the face of fear and anxiety. Placing down Weiss with care, she pulled out Crescent Rose.

"Ruby," I began, "I didn't think they would -"

Ruby stamped her foot down. "You didn't think? You, of all people, didn't think? You didn't think that they'd just leave her? You thought it would be sun and shine?"

This isn't you.

Ruby continued, tears streaming down her face as she yelled at me. "You thought that you could make things a little better, one sacrifice for many, huh? No!"

This isn't you, Ruby.

Her voice quickly went hoarse with fury. "Why did I ever think things could be okay? Why, between -"

Ruby stopped mid-speech and broke down. In between her loud bawling, I could make out soft muttering.

"Between us? Why us?"

I stepped closer with extreme caution. I wouldn't let anyone else a closer range to me, but this is different. It's Ruby. My friend.

"Blake, Blake, help me..." Her voice was soft yet ragged. I wanted to help, Ruby. I wished I knew sooner. I didn't want this between us.

Then she wailed with a soul-piercing banshee-like howl, one that lasted for what felt like forever. She jumped up and, with Crescent Rose in tow.

With regret, I leaped at her, and she did the same. Our blades clashed with a ferocity I hadn't felt in a long time. I break it and attacked once more. I went for a slash at her neck that Ruby barely dodged. Blood slowly streamed from her neck. With a blood-curdling hiss, she wiped it away. "You may be stronger than me, but I'm the master at close combat!". She lunged at me, impaling the shoulder of my after image.

"Masters don't use brute force," I replied.

I quickly sprinted towards Ruby as she set up a defensive position with Crescent Rose, leaning forward with the blade covering her front. I juked her at the last second, leaning, turning, and going in for a wide slash at her unguarded side. She kicked away, with my sword glancing off her blade.

We both backed up. I could see Ruby's eyes twitching from left to right, figuring out what to do. She locked her gaze with mine, and went in for the kill.

I responded in kind.

We charged at each other, and I jumped, firing and preparing to deflect Ruby's slash when she let Crescent Rose down earlier than I anticipated. She exclaimed, striking the back of my afterimage.

I landed, rolling and stopping on my feet. Ruby looked at me with unbridled hatred in her eyes. "I guess I didn't get you there..."

A pain shot though my back. I couldn't help but wince.

"Or did I?" Ruby's face lit up with murderous delight. I hit the ground, feeling blood slowly pool under me. Downed by a single stroke, I laid there, defenseless. I could make out a person joining Ruby's side - Adam.

"Adam, take Weiss to the base. I'll let you have Blake when I'm done." Adam hissed something unintelligible, and did as told."Well, it's time for you to pay, cat."

Blood lust had consumed her completely. My wound intensified in pain, and my shock kept me from doing anything. All I could do was stop and stare. If it were almost anyone else, I would be on my toes, fighting them tooth and nail. But this was more than a betrayal. It was part of the systematic destruction of everything I came to love over the past months. The twisting of my trust, corrupted by a cancer that ate at those I loved, and I feared, would come to consume me as well.

Ruby grabbed Gambol Shroud and repeatedly inserted the blade into the side of my abdomen. For every opening she made, she licked the blood away, tearing at them more with her teeth. I shut my eyes and screamed, hoping for relief.

And that's when I saw the swing of a silver hammer crashing into Ruby.


	8. 7: Through Gardens of Grief

[**Nora**]

"That Ren! He left me all alone down here, who else is gonna protect little old Nor... ooh, pancakes!"

It was just business as usual for me; I cut class awhile ago, and I was deep in the city of Beacon, where I happened to pass up a bakery. Looking over the various goods they had on display, I realized this bakery was different; it had pancakes on display. "Finally," I began, "the quest is over!" I could hide from pesky teachers, and eat delicious pancakes! But before I could even open the door, a woman blindsided me from a darkened alley.

Picking myself up, I turned my head and saw Blake with... Yang? It was Yang in her arms, with Yang missing an arm.

"Nora! Take Yang, and get her to a hospital. Then, call your team. Head to the school."

Just like that, Blake handed me a dying person and within seconds, left. I was gonna ask what happened, but I couldn't chase after her with Yang bleeding to death! I began to run to the closest hospital in this city, which wasn't that far, thankfully.

"It'd be nice if you didn't bounce so much," Yang uttered weakly as I made it to the parking lot.

"Shh, look, I got you, Yang!"

I kicked the door open, set Yang down, and brandished Magnhild about, yelling until the nurses took her into intensive care.

And then? I grabbed my scroll and called my team.

"Beep boop boop, please pick up..." I said nervously.

Jaune picked up. "Hey Nora, if you're looking for Ren, he's with me in the dorms."

"In the dorm room? Jaune! Something's happening at the school! Yang's arm was cut off and Blake looked like she was busted up pretty bad. I'm worried that whoever did this, they're not gonna stop!"

"Yeah, we know! We were actually going to call you, but all the screaming caught us off guard pretty fast, and -" something that sounded like an explosion rumbled in the distance. "Oh man! Okay, where are you?"

"I'm out in the city, look, get Ren and meet me outside!"

I looked up. The clouds are getting pretty dark...

"Alright, we'll meet you there." And with that, Jaune hung up on me, mid-sentence. Normally, I'd say he was rude, but now wasn't the time for that.

Anyways, I turned and started sprinting to the school.

As I got closer, I could hear screams in the distance. They were frightening - they echoed off the mountains and buildings nearby, and the loudest ones sounded like...

Blake! I grabbed Magnhild and readied myself for battle as I ran. Pretty soon, I got close enough to see Ruby cutting Blake - wait, what?

Ruby cutting Blake? Ruby's alive? But Professor Ozpin told us that she was killed... How is this possible? Why is she hurting Blake?

And - ech, pancakes. That broke my thought process.

If I was gonna save Blake, then I needed to focus and strike hard. I lunged and raised Magnhild. With one swipe, I sent Ruby flying.

"Blake!" I crouched and put my hand over her forehead. "Don't worry, I'll-"

"Don't kill her Nora, please. It's my fault she's..." Blake's voice gave out completely. I looked at Ruby, who was bleeding from her head. "Ruby! What is this? What's going on? She's your friend!" I felt my stomach turn as past memories flooded my mind. Memories I had with Ruby, that raised the hairs on my arms, knowing that this was going on. I felt sick. I felt angry. I felt...

...scared.

Ruby looked wild, glaring at me from her greasy, almost matted hair. "That - that faunus - hurt Weiss, and did nothing to keep her alive! Nothing!"

Wait, Weiss is alive, too? Was Professor Ozpin lying to us the entire time?

"And now," Ruby continued, "I'm getting my revenge."

"Oh boy. Ohhh boy, Ruby, look, let's just-"

Out of nowhere, Ruby let out an ear-splitting wail that rang in my ears. As my ears recovered, she smacked me with the blunt end of her scythe.

Huh, I thought, she's not this clumsy in a one-on-one match.

Ignoring the pain, I got my bearings and backed up, transforming Magnhild and letting loose a barrage of carefully-aimed grenades - I didn't want to kill anyone here.

Of course, Ruby dodged them with ease, except for the last round, which hit her directly in the ankle and sent her flying. Thank goodness for auras, or else she would've been a paste. I noticed that Ruby, who was now getting up and staggering in the distance, didn't even try to make a combat-ready stance, but instead continued to stare at me with a hateful glare.

"Ruby," I began. "I don't want to hurt-"

"Lies! You're all such fucking liars!" Ruby transformed Crescent Rose and let loose a volley of buckshot. I extended Magnhild, ran and slammed the hammer head into the ground, propelling me forward to her. I was prepared to knock the ever-loving crap out of her again if needed.

Ruby moved at the last second, rose the scythe upward and countered with a hard swing, grazing my side, messing up my trajectory, and sent me flying for about thirty feet, knocking me into a stone column.

"Nora..." Ruby walked toward me, Crescent Rose in hand. Reeling from the pain, I managed to pull Magnhild close and transformed it into its compact form, with the barrel aimed squarely at her chest.

"Ruby, I fire this, and you're gonna become rose pudding! Okay? Rose pudding with tapioca chunks!"

She kept walking. I noticed she had an off-balance, feral-looking gait as she stared with those sullen eyes. Needless to say, it freaked me out.

"I'm- I'm warning you!" I really didn't want to blow her sky high. Especially since I could get caught as well.

Ruby closed the distance with her semblance, and pressed her foot on my leg, slowly crushing it.

She dropped her voice to an unnerving, scratchy, and quiet tone. "No. You don't have the guts for it." I couldn't help but scream when I felt the grooves of her boot being impressed on my shin. "Nora, I've seen the end. What it can do to a person who has nothing to lose."

My eyes watered, and I let go of my weapon, trying to pry her leg off of me.

"What it can do to someone who has nowhere to go." She stopped, and crouched down to my level. I could finally get a good look at her - a gloomy, serious face, but one that belonged to an old, battle-scarred Huntress, not a teenager. I felt like I wasn't even looking at Ruby, that this might be a fake, an imposter. But I could hear that little squeak behind her hoarse, blown out voice.

The fact that it's really her... I couldn't even muster the energy to fight.

"I came here for one reason, Nora." She paused. "I'm..."

Tears ran down her face. At this point her voice was a mere whisper, almost talking to herself than to me. "I'm sorry for doing this." She got up and started walking away, slowly.

After a few seconds to recover, I stood up, despite the excruciating pain shooting up my bruised left leg

"Ruby, wait!" I couldn't believe this was happening. "Nobody - and I mean nobody - knew you were alive! Nobody told us! We all thought you both were dead! I didn't want to hurt you! Blake didn't want to hurt you! I just want to know why you started this to begin with! Why you left!"

Ruby stopped walking.

"You grew cold and distant! You were just leaving them - leaving us - behind! And then, then you disappear!" I tried to hold back tears, but they came down like waterfalls. I saw a glint in Ruby's eyes, like a fuse just went out. She stared at Blake with heavy regret in her face.

"Ruby," I began, calming myself down. "Come with me, we'll fix you up, we'll fix Weiss up and, and take you both somewhere safe!" She looked back at me with tears rolling down her face.

"No, Nora."

The air felt calm and still. I wasn't sure how to react.

"No! I... I hurt you all too much, damn it, just let me leave!" Ruby ran at me with blinding speed and, well, I could've been bisected then and there. Boom. Finished without so much as a word in edgewise.

But I didn't. Ruby just... Vanished. Gone in a cloud of red petals. How did she do that?

"Nora! Blake!"

Ren? "Ren!" I was relieved when I saw him.

"Nora! What happened here?"

I ran to him, gripping his arms, sobbing profusely. "Ren, it's Ruby. She's... Ruby's alive."


	9. 8: A Birth of Scars

[**Nora**]

"What? The professor wouldn't just lie to us-"

"Jaune, Professor Ozpin lied to us! He's a liar, okay? He told us that Ruby and Weiss were both dead!" I paced the room, frustrated and confused and tired. "Ruby's gone insane, Blake was nearly carved to pieces, and I don't even want to know what happened to Weiss and Yang, I just, I don't know!"

I dropped to my knees. There was nothing positive to say, no dumb remarks to lighten myself up with. I felt like the lights went off across the entirety of Beacon, and a hammer wouldn't be enough to fix it.

Ren calmly walked towards me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Nora, calm down, okay? Let's focus on helping Blake and yang get better." Oh, Ren. You always know what to do. Always so kind, and calm, and that's why you're my hubbo.

He lowered his voice and dropped to my height. "When we get home, I'll make pancakes before we all talk." He shot a quick smile at me, and I returned a weak one back. You know me so well, don't you? My face turned hot, and for once in what felt like ages, I felt the weight of the situation lighten just a little.

I hugged Ren and, finally, relaxed, crying in his arms.

[**Yang**]

My home. I finally came back home.

I saw Dad, and Mom, and little Ruby playing outside in the grass. The sky was orange with a setting sun, green grass flowing in the wind, smiles on my family's faces. A smile on my face.

"Yang!"

The word echoed deep, with throbbing reverberations that decayed quickly. I shook my head and went to play with my family, kicking a ball in the open field.

At one point, Ruby kicked the ball, but it didn't go far. Suddenly, she started crying.

"Hey Rubes, what's wrong?"

I walked to her, but as I made one step, the sky started turning red... dark red, dense enough that rain started pouring from the sky. Out of nowhere, I heard screams that grew louder, and wider, and eventually engulfed my ears. The rolling grass turned to a raging fire from the distance closing in. I panicked, and my walk turned to a run. The flames rose high, but they never touched me or my sister.

"I got you, I got you!" I finally reached her. Her head was down, with her hood up.

"Rubes, are you alright?" I put my finger under her chin and began to raise her head slowly. "Hey, look at me Ruby, it's okay..." Her head rose up. Then I could see that her body was covered in blood, her eyes glowed white, and on top of it all, she bore a twisted and cruel smile. Fear filled me. Oh Ruby... What happened to you?

"Yang," Ruby said, her voice small and weak, "Help me." I felt something tug her: a shadow. I pulled more and more, and just when I felt myself overtake it, the fire started to burn my skin.

"No! Ruby! Ruby, come back!" I fell to the ground, with my arms a sharp, scarlet red. As I looked up, I saw something that froze me: Adam Taurus, holding the arm that he cut, standing next to Ruby, who was dressed in black.

"I'm not coming back, Yang. I won't come back."

"No, damn it!"

Ugh, my arm felt sore as hell. The bed was wet, I was wet, everything felt wet. Wet with sweat, that is. I had to get my breathing under control; I'm not dying of a heart attack in here.

Wait, what was here, anyway? Looking around, I saw a doctor with bandages in his hand. He looked pretty worried, because the first thing he asked was, "You, uh, you doing alright? You had a bad fever in your sleep."

"Eh, yeah..." I shook my head a little. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." Taking a breath, the doctor walked over and said, "I need you to stay still, okay? Let me change your bandages and make sure your temp's lowered." I nodded and relaxed, reclining in the bed. I closed my eyes as he removed the bandage on my stub for an arm.

It hurt a lot - I mean, it's a dismembered arm, of course it's gonna hurt- but it wasn't as nearly bad as my heart. Damn it, Ruby, just why would you let this happen? Why did you bring Adam? Why didn't I do more to help you before... Blake?

"Blake!"

I gave the doctor a pretty good spook, he almost jumped away into the wall. Thankfully, he was done with the wrap. "Where's Blake?"

"Do you mean Ms. Belladonna? She's in the next room over."

"...well, uh, you gonna tell me what happened to her? I can't exactly walk over there."

The doctor scratched his head, probably getting over my response. "I can bring her in, if you'd like."

I just stared at him.

"You know what? Here, let me just get her myself." He walked out of the room, and moments later, Blake walked in. She was completely shirtless, with bandages completely covering her breasts and upper stomach. She stumbled over to me in an awkward gait, and gave me a big hug.

It was a while before either of us said anything. I just missed having someone to hug again.

Blake spoke up. "I'm relieved you're awake. With the commotion going on in here earlier, I thought something bad had happened."

"Ah, don't worry. You know I'm a tough piece of work!" I rubbed my eyes, and that's when it hit me: the sheer mass of the bandages. "Blake... Who did this to you?"

Everything grew still. Blake's eyes averted mine, and I saw a tinge of fear in her face. She obviously didn't want to answer me, but she did anyways.

"It... it was Ruby. Ruby did this."

...what? Ruby? I immediately called BS on that. "Ruby? Blake," I began, sitting upward. "There is no way, no way that ol' Rubes would go ahead and cut... you..." I stopped. Blake's face grew red, and I swore I heard a sniffle from her.

"Yang, she did this to me, but only because she thought that I would... that I would just leave Weiss to die."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Um, elaborate?"

I felt bad just looking at Blake. She was clearly ready to break down in tears. "Weiss isn't dead." Weiss! She's alive too! I didn't know what to say to Blake... She's one of the closest people I know, but damn it if I didn't want to scream and just break every little goddamn thing in this room. Sensing this, Blake gently squeezed my hand.

"Jaune, Nora, and Ren are making a plan to find them - and to confront the professor for his lies." She stared in to my eyes, sighing heavily. "Don't worry Yang. We'll save them both."

Well, I sure as hell hope so, Blake. This mess... I don't know if I could recover from all this. I gently pulled Blake in for another hug as she quietly sobbed.

[**Ruby**]

I sat there in my room, waiting... waiting for someone, anyone to bring my dear Weiss in here, so I can watch over her and keep her safe like I intended. I needed her here now, I felt like I'd go completely insane if I had to wait for ten, five, one more minute.

The door creaked as it slowly opened. Neo came in with Weiss in her arms. Laying her down, she nodded to me and left, closing the door until it clicked.

"Weiss." I whispered. "You're finally safe." I leaned and kissed her forehead, then I slowly pulled her shirt upward to look at the wound. It was black, but not like a putrefying corpse. It was a deep, almost menacing black - Salem must of healed her with Grimm blood. It was probably the only way to save her from death, but if Weiss got hit there again...

"I'll never let you fight again, I can't lose you again." I hopped on to the bed and laid beside her, closing my eyes and relaxing until I drifted off into sleep.


	10. 9: The Return of the Beauitful I

[**Weiss**]

How long have I been out?

Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the ambient light shining through my eyelids - it would be a while before I'll adjust. I tried to get up so I could close the curtains, but I was practically immobilized by my pain if I did anything more than a mere sit up. Grabbing my chest, I weathered the agony, lest I show weakness to whoever was near. Fortunately, the pain subsided quickly.

Now then, just where was I? Where's Ruby?

I tried recounting the prior events... but all I could remember was a bloodbath. Bodies as far as I could see, and many people died... by Ruby's hands.

Our hands. You know how eager you were to defend her, even though she started this.

I shook my head. I remembered seeing Ruby carve a bloody path through the streets in vivid detail. I laid there, mentally leafing through the memories inside my consciousness to see everything as if it just happened. Ruby fought for her life and almost lost it to...

...Blake. That I remember very well.

I tried to save Ruby. I'm certain I did, with the bullet hole in my chest. But that's all I know. First came the shock, and now I'm here.

I looked around the room. The place had a dark, almost malevolent, aesthetic, with everything either violet or scarlet upon black. While observing, I heard a sound beside me.

"...It's you," I whispered.

And here was Ruby, dressed in black and covered in blood, sweat, grime, and who-knows-what else. She looked like a mess, and smelled like ten. Any other moment I'd scold her for sleeping without bathing, the heathen. Disgusting.

What am I to do now? I can't go anywhere until she wakes. I sighed in annoyance, looking around the room, my overly-wrapped body (Were they trying to make a corset with these bandages? Ugh.), and Ruby.

Well, just waiting is futile. I'm exploring.

Carefully, I snuck out of bed and tentatively started walking. The room housed four doors: one leading to a dark hall, the other to a balcony, another to a kitchen, and the last, a bathroom. The room itself was almost excessively large - it'd be more regal if the colors weren't so vile and dark.

Feeling stuffy, I walked to the balcony to get some fresh air. I leaned on the rails, closing my eyes and feeling the cool air hit my face.

Then I opened my eyes.

My vision was greeted by hundreds - literal hundreds - of Grimm, just roaming these blasted, gloomy hellscapes that I would assume surround this property. They were dark, but their distinctively angular dark silhouettes were all I needed to know.

"Oh no," I whispered out loud to myself. "This isn't..."

Salem's hideaway, I thought. Of course Ruby took me here. It's why I'm alive, and why Ruby's here, and... I need to sit down.

"You woke up sooner than I expected."

I spun around in panic at the hoarse, dry voice addressing me.

It was Ruby, standing maybe a whole meter in front of me. She stared at me with worry and fear through distraught eyes, with her red, veiny sclera surrounding her stark silver irises. It was almost chilling. Was this really you?

Don't pretend you don't know. You know she's damaged. Broken. You're holding onto a false ideal, thinking that this is who you truly love. A liar. A murderer. An animal.

I shook my head lightly and cleared my throat. "Ruby... why did you bring me here?"

She looked off in the distance, her grimy face reflecting the soft moonlight.

"Weiss, I saved you. I brought you here, to fix you up!" Ruby flashed a wide smile. She was obviously trying to hide something.

Then, silence. I shifted my stance, and folded my arms, observing the light scars on her face. I hung my head low. "Ruby," I said, in a low voice, rising quickly in a near scream. "Your lies and your secrets are what made all this happen, so don't act cute and pretend that everything's fine! They're not! I had to help you kill people in cold blood, and I lost one of my best friends to your brutish, bloody shenanigans, just to make sure that you weren't dead! Just, for once, in these past few weeks, please, talk to me, now!"

Her greasy, shaggy hair obscured her hung head. She looked hurt. Or angry...

Again, silence. It was a while before anyone spoke, and this time, Ruby got the floor.

"My... queen," she said with sarcastic intonation, "I think you should -"

Ruby grabbed me by my shoulders with her rough hands.

"- take a bath -"

I felt her hands squeeze me tightly. Her nostrils flared in the same way a wolf sniffs, observing their prey.

"- and go back to bed!" She glared at me, in a mix of frustration and an unknown greed, licking her lips slowly. I felt mildly scared. Was she really mad at me? Or was there something more... deviant behind her eyes?

Quickly, Ruby looked away and blushed. "I... I'm sorry, Weiss. I have to go. Neo can take care of you." She smiled softly, this time with a hint of genuinity, which only served to disturb me more.

"But if you try to leave this room" - her eyes glowed, and her voice grew more gravelly - "then I'll hunt you down and tie you to this bed." With that, she carried me to the bathroom, where Neo was sitting on a chair reading a book.

"Please take care of my queen, if you would, Neo." Neo nodded, and Ruby left. Me and the forboding mute. Splendid.

Neo took a quick look at me, and without warning, picked me up and sat me on the bath edge. Then she started removing my clothes. I swear, she'd remove these bandages with the eagerness she stripped me with. It took a quick slap on the wrist to prevent her from removing my panties - a task I was loathe for her to undertake.

She turned the faucet on and left - with my discarded clothes. With humiliating difficulty, I removed my panties, and I slid into the warm water. Neo wasn't back yet. As far as I know, anyway.

Now then, what happened to Ruby, and why am I even here?

I closed my eyes and rest myself in the large, round bathtub. I could feel the warmth of the water and the suds of the soap gently massage me as I slid deeper, centimeter by centimeter. It felt... Good. Wonderful. Peaceful. I was too tired to think, and the familiar comfort of a bath took the unease off of my mind.

Then I turned my head, and found myself one unfortunate contraction away from defecating in the tub.

"Heh, well then, Ruby told me you were awake, so I had to come see for myself."

I yelped in surprise. "Fuck! I mean, Cin- Cinder?" I splashed water everywhere, trying to cover my nipples with one hand, and putting up the other in some pathetic act of threatening display. This was not my finest moment.

Cinder grinned at me, clearly pleased with the result of her little stunt.

"What do you want with me, Cinder?"

"Me? Well, Weiss, to be truthful, I... want you dead. But Ruby would take my other arm and eye if I did that." She looked down on the ground and turned a bit pale. "And for your information, I do enjoy being able to see."

"And I do enjoy having peace. In the bathroom. Where nobody else is supposed to be."

We stared at each other, in a moment of shared awkwardness.

"So," I started, breaking the silence. "Did Ruby happen to tell you where she went, or...?"

"She went out."

"I need you to elaborate on that."

"She's helping Adam with his little adventures with the White Fang right now. I estimate that she'll be here tomorrow night."

Tomorrow night? I don't think I could survive being around people who previously wanted me dead for more than thirty minutes.

"Oh," I said, not even trying to belay my disappointment. "Well, just how long have I been -"

"You've been in a coma for five days here."

Five days? Just what happened while I was out? "As for you being in that school, it's been... hmm, I wanna say two months."

"I've been in a coma for over two -"

"Silence. No more questions." Cinder shifted her feet, folding her arms. "Your voice is insufferable."

"I'm not the one watching a random woman take a bath. Creep."

Cinder rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Clothes are on the bed, Neo's cooking you dinner. Now hurry up and finish already." She turned around and stood at the door.

"And one more thing," Cinder added. "Try to be more respectful of your elders, Weiss Schnee." She walked out, and the door closed.

Well, that was a fun exchange of pleasantries. If this is the level of respect I'll have to expect, I'd rather just stay in a coma. Leaves me from dealing with Cinder, anyway.

Getting out of the tub, I slowly navigated to the bed, and took my time putting on the clothes they brought out: a long, blue-white shirt and black shorts, just long enough to go past my butt, and nothing else. Only Ruby would pick out something as skimpy as this. I sighed.

This felt weird, though. The whole situation: why would I even be tolerated enough to be taken care for here? I know that they know of me and Ruby, but I always thought that they would rather cut ties with anyone considered non-essential... unless I was essential.

I shuddered. Let's not dwell on that, I thought, and walked toward the kitchen area. At least my chest is feeling better.

I came upon Neo cooking some sort of pasta. I stood for a minute, watching with quiet intent. The ribbons of pasta dangled and quivered as she stirred and rose the wooden spoon repeatedly.

I wonder why she never speaks, I asked myself. Then, I heard a slight humming from her, a faint, melodious cascade of soft notes that conjured up a warm feeling inside of me. It was probably the most adorable thing I saw in a while, and I found a nearby seat, watching and listening to her humming among the clatter of spoons and dishes, until she brought me a bowl of tagliatelle.

Pushing my anxiety aside, I politely nodded and put a spoonful in my mouth. My goodness, I thought, this is exquisite! I began to shovel in the tagliatelle until I almost choked, twice. Upon the last bite, I let out an accidental burp that could rival Yang's in its sheer volume, and blushed when I heard Neo giggle at my faux pas.

After dinner, Neo carried me to bed. I wanted to thank her, but sleep got to me before my gratitude could leave.


	11. 10: The Return of the Beautiful II

[**Yang**]

It's about time we get Ruby and Weiss back.

It's been six months and Jaune, Nora, Ren, Blake and I are finally ready. Between this time, Ozpin went missing after we sold him out to General Ironwood and Winter Schnee. The White Fang's been on the move, and Grimm sightings in the cities are increasing.

Today, I waited in the forests near Beacon. I stared at the sky, lost in thought.

I often wondered about Ruby and Weiss, and what could've happened. Some people talked about misguided souls, others said things about covert terrorism against the school. Personally, I don't know. I just wished I could've been the sister I told myself I was.

But no. With everything else on my mind at the time, I missed Ruby completely, and now I'm missing a forearm because of it. Hell, I'm missing my friend and my sister because of it. All of this chaos... And I still don't know why. Blake still wouldn't tell me what Ruby said all those months ago, and just recently am I getting over it.

I sighed, and hung my head lower when a familiar tap on my shoulder alerted me.

"So," Blake said. "You ready to tell me what this is about?"

"Huh?" I sat upright, rubbing my eyes. "Oh, yeah, I got a team ready. Y'know. We're gonna try to find them."

Blake looked away, stoic as usual. "Yang. I've... I've been meaning to tell you something."

"What, you got any ideas or something?"

Blake shook her head, and paused for a moment before responding. "I know that she's your sister, but... Tell me you're not really expecting to get her back in one piece. If we get her back."

I stayed silent. My face grew hot, and I looked away from Blake. I could feel her golden eyes gazing straight into my soul, expecting me to lie around my situation.

"I..." My voice hung on the word. "I need this, Blake. The closure. Do you know how many times I went to sleep, dreaming about how I'd wake up to see Ruby and Weiss, and how it'd be us four again? How much I miss being able to see her face, just doing something dumb and goofy and wonderful, and feeling back at home?"

I stood up, walking around in circles. "I'm going to find them, and when I do, I just want to ask one question."

Blake kept her neutral expression, knowing just how emotional I am. "And what would that be?"

I found myself breathing hard, holding back my rage. I tensed my arm, ready to punch something, anything.

"Why?"

The word took a lot out of me, barely managing to say it through my failing voice. I fell to my knees, punching the ground repeatedly until Blake got up, restraining me for what felt like several minutes. I ended up almost crying in her chest, barely holding my tears back.

It took a minute, but I collected myself and wiped away the last of my tears. "Alright Blake, let's get this show on the road." We walked through a short, rough path that led to a massive clearing that I had everyone gathered in.

Blake silently surveyed the area. "Team SSSN, most of JNPR..." Blake looked at me. "So, this is all of us?"

"Well, yeah! They didn't give up on Ruby, so we can trust them."

"Yeah, like I'd betray a friend of mine." I looked at Sun, his voice void of his usual peppy self. No one else seemed to look forward to the coming days - I sure didn't. Everyone was ready for battle.

Jaune stood up, clearing his throat.

"So," he said, with a hint of apprehension in his voice. "Is everyone ready?"

One by one, heads nodded.

"Then in that case," I began, trying to inject some sort of energy in the group, "Let's go!" We entered the airship.

[**Ruby**]

"So Ruby, all is going well, I see?"

"Yes, Salem." I strode behind her as she stared out the window. She's really ready for war, I thought.

It's been a long six months. I've been taking down generals and high ranking officers left and right. Thousands of Grimm were ready to plunge the world in chaos once more, and I didn't care. As long as I have Weiss, this world could burn.

"This is a special mission. I trust you can handle this with care." Salem turned to me. "I need you to take down General Ironwood. I want him dead in the ground. Get rid of him, and their defenses will start to crumble like a house of cards. Can you do that for me, dear?"

I grinned. "I'll do it mother, but only if you let me take three people - Weiss included - with me." I saw her ready to say no, but she knew I needed the help.

"Hmm. Fine then, who are the other two?"

I straightened my posture, getting ready for the enormity of my request. "I... was wondering if I could possibly take Neo with me. Oh, and Tyrian. But Neo wouldn't be in the fight against Ironwood specifically. She could just protect Weiss for me." Her neutral face quickly turned unhappy with what I said.

I felt anxious. "Please?"

"Eh... Alright. Fine. But I warn you, dear: Don't mess this up."

Oh, thank you, I thought. Thank goodness for my reputation. With that, she shooed me away. I walked down the hall and entered the bedroom to see Neo reading and Weiss passed out on the bed.

I knocked on the wall and flopped on the bed. "Alright Neo, pack your things, 'cause we are going on a mission first thing in the morning." She let out a faint mew and ran out the room, shutting the door. I got up, packed my stuff, and shook Weiss awake for at least a minute.

"Weiss, honey, wake up please?"

She woke with a grunt.

"I'm tired, Ruby." She stayed motionless.

"Listen..."

She groaned and turned pale when she looked at me. "Okay, fine."

Why was she pale, I wondered. "Okay, we're going out tomorrow morning. I have some people to talk to there but before we do that, well, I was thinking... date?" I wiggled excitedly, trying to get her to smile. She giggled a bit.

"Okay Ruby, whatever you say," Weiss said, yawning. She's so cute when she smiles, I thought to myself, smiling. I laid beside her and pulled her close. I held her tightly, and closed my eyes for a moment, thinking.

Was Weiss... scared of me? I remembered when she first woke up from her coma. She looked like as if she'd seen a monster.

Does she still love me?

My grip grew tighter. No, she loves me, I thought. I'm giving her so much, she has to love me!

A scream pierced my ears. "Ruby, please!" I opened my eyes to see Weiss in tears. "Let go! It - it hurts..." I quickly released her and shot out of bed in shame. She looked up, trying to calm down.

I hurt her? She rolled over, trying to look away from me. Frustrated with myself, I grabbed my scythe and left. I needed time to think, or else I'm gonna kill everyone here.

It's been like that recently. More and more often I found myself getting angrier, and meaner, and... well, a lot of things. I'd get so angry I could barely concentrate on anything, and I'd end up with Crescent Rose in my hands more often than not. I trained until sunrise, slaughtering Grimm left and right. My muscles were exhausted.

I left to my room. Neo should be up making Weiss's breakfast by now; we gotta go after she eats.

I headed to the kitchen area to see Weiss sitting at the table, holding her arm. I could see the bruise I made, a huge, ugly patch of purple on her otherwise uniformly pale skin. I walked to her, only for her to flinch when she saw me. She tried to hide her fear with a fake smile, but I hugged her anyway in a silent attempt to apologize. She hissed in pain.

I turned to Neo after I realized what I'd done. "Neo," I said quietly in shame, "I'm going to take a bath and rest before we leave." She nodded and, perhaps taking pity on me in some way, handed me a glass of milk. I drank it quickly and went to take a bath, washing whatever blood I had on me and falling asleep as soon as I got out.

I woke up in a airship on a sofa. I was greeted by a faunus who was quietly observing my breasts.

"Oh man, you sleep hard." Tyrian chuckled "Y'know, you're pretty hot for a seventeen year old. When's your birth-" I got up and punched him across the airship. Neo giggled. He laughed his ass off as he stayed on the ground.

"It's too early to be a perverted asshole, Tyrian," I said, rubbing my knuckles. When we get there, I'd have no time for anything with Weiss. Not until I have at least some info on Ironwood's location, and how to take him out.

[**Yang**]

Ugh, what a dick. I didn't think it was possible, but Ironwood? Way, way worse than Weiss in the stuck-up department. He was blathering about his status and ranking and not Ruby!

"Ironwood, with all due respect," I said, cutting his boastful speech off completely, "Would it kill you to tell us your plan for getting our friends back?" The general sighed at me.

"I don't know where they could be at specifically," Ironwood said, generally unfazed at my question, "But I do have information that will make you reconsider your plans, Ms. Xiao Long."

"And that would be...?" I asked, leaning on my only forearm.

"Intel has it that Salem is going to assassinate me directly, with Ruby Rose as her weapon of choice."

Wait... What?

"And I need you all to find and contain her. And if you can, do it with no witnesses, and then I'll let you guys take her to a base where she can live out her sentence."

Well, damn. This would be the only chance I have to bring back the girl I raised. I looked at everyone and couldn't help but fear that for once, we might not make it out alive.


	12. 11: The Red in the Sky I

[**Ruby**]

No one knows who I am here. Or maybe they think that "the Misguided Man-slayer Ruby Rose" died. Either way is fine by me.

I was polishing Crescent Rose alongside Tyrian. We were getting ready to take down Ironwood. However, I didn't feel any anxiety until I saw Weiss, watching me with worry. I felt ashamed. I knew that she was scared, scared of me and my actions. I hope wasn't too late to say sorry. And I hope the hoarseness from my throat went away.

"Hey Weiss," I said in a casual tone, approaching her. She looked at me like a deer spots their predators. "You know I love you, right? No matter what, I'll always love you."

I flashed a genuine grin at her, but she returned it with a weak smile.

"Of course! I love you too, Ruby," Weiss responded hesitantly.

Ugh, there it is again. That feeling. The guilt. Every time I'd feel it, I got nauseous. It would just fall like dominoes, reminding me of the things I did to get this far.

You ruined families, you tore people's lives apart, how could you believe you could stay with her?

I took a deep breath. "Um, Weiss, I'm, I'm sorry for... For what I did."

She nodded quickly, rubbing her forehead. " I know, I know Ruby, I know. It's - It's nothing, okay? I'm fine."

Look at yourself, Ruby. You won't even admit to yourself that you are a problem. How could you let Salem corrupt you like this?

"No," I said quietly.

Weiss looked surprised. "Huh?"

I grabbed my head and shook it, trying to get these thoughts out of my head.

It was her. It was Weiss' fault for this.

Now you're blaming again. Ruby, you know who did this. You know-

I got pissed. I stood up and grabbed Crescent Rose.

Weiss got up and slowly started walking backwards. "Um, Ruby, please stay calm."

I looked at her and closed my eyes, trying to calm down.

"I gave you shelter, food and protection. I gave you a maid, and I healed you!" I opened my eyes, glaring at her. She looked at the ground. "And yet you can't even say 'thank you', or 'I love you', right? I wouldn't be like this if you didn't get hurt!" Tears streamed down my face, and I noticed Neo and Tyrian both cleared rhe room.

Why is she acting like this to me, does she love me anymore? I stopped, my rage disappearing. "...do you even love me anymore?"

I sniffled, steeling myself for Weiss's response. "Be honest," I said.

With a face of hate and pain, Weiss uttered one word: "No."

I clenched Crescent Rose tighter than before. "I don't - I don't want to see you again! I don't want to be with you, I don't want to be near you! You're a monster! You're not the Ruby I loved back at Beacon, you're... you're one of them! A monster!"

I was heartbroken. I couldn't say anything back. I just turned and left the room.

Whatever doubts I had was washed away by Salem as she urged me to kill once more.

[**Blake**]

This place was like a graveyard. The field was littered with dead trees, both standing and fallen, holding onto the dried soil beneath. Ironwood brought us here to help protect him. The outside of the structure we were guarding was a simple corrugated iron shed. We were outside waiting as he drank tea by the worn window, descending into whatever deep fortifications he had set up for himself.

"Blake..." I turned to Yang, her irises a relaxed purple-blue. "Will we be able to save her? Can we bring her back to us?"

I said nothing. We wouldn't be able to bring her back - at least, not the the Ruby we know. We'd have to live with the knowledge of her crimes for the rest of our days, and it's not something I'd ever look forward to.

After a long pause, I spoke. "We'll save her. We have to, don't we?" I pulled her into a tight hug. I knew how much pain she's in. We would've stayed like this forever had I not caught something out the corner of my eye. I let go and readied myself, as did the others. The shadows were Grimm, which didn't get any closer to us.

Jaune activated his shield. "What do you think is up?"

"I don't know," began Nora. "Maybe we scared them away with our power!"

Sun let out a light chuckle. "Heh, or our good looks."

I shook my head. "No... it's not that."

Everyone went silent and looked toward the rustling in a shadow. I pulled out Gambol Shroud and drew a bead, my finger resting on the trigger. From the shadow came three figures: Neo, Tyrian, and...

...Ruby.

"Ruby!" Yang ran out towards Ruby; I put my arm out to stop her in time.

"Yang," I began, "Don't you see? Look at her!"

Yang ignored my warning. "Please Rubes, don't do this, we can - we can..."

Yang looked at me for support. I shook my head. There's no getting to Ruby, not anymore. Hearing Yang cry tore everyone apart. Even among the more idealistic of us started to look around and realize the gravity of the situation.

Then, I saw Ruby whisper to the other two. Neo disappeared and Tyrian came charging at team SSSN to my left. Ruby glared at us with a subtle smile, walking with deliberation in each step. Behind her in the shadows I saw a large amount of beowulfs, keeping their distance.

Then, she changed moods, with her face frowning. "I'm sorry." The hairs on my neck stood up, not at her use of the phrase, but her tone... It was genuine.

Ruby stood still, not even drawing out Crescent Rose. "I can't take back what I did. To the people I hurt. To the people I killed." She dropped to her knees, and held her head in her hands. "Im a monster!"

Every single person was taken aback by her sudden outburst - even Tyrian, who stopped mid-sprint in surprise.

"She doesn't understand that I have to do this! The urge to draw blood! She left me, and I'm going to fucking kill you all!" Ruby's face of grief turned into the face of a killer. She pulled out Crescent Rose and lunged at me with high speed. I dodged at the last second, with Ruby rolling on the ground behind me.

Out the corner of my eye, the entirety of team SSSN was engaged with Tyrian, who dodged and weaved through their attacks with worrying dexterity.

"Ruby," Nora cried out, "Get a hold of yourself!" Nora didn't want to fight her; no one did.

Ruby stood up and with her semblance, she scattered in petals, getting behind Nora. In one motion she hit Nora in the back, breaking her aura completely and audibly dislocating the latter's shoulder. Nora hit the ground head-first and went limp.


	13. 12: The Red in the Sky II

"Nora, no!"

As Ruby disappeared in a flash of black petals, Ren ran to Nora's limp body, cradling her in his arms.

"She did nothing wrong!" In a fit of blind rage, Jaune attacked Ruby, swinging his sword in a wide sweep. She dodged, stepping back and knocked him down in one hit, breaking his nose. Jaune barely had time to grab his nose before ruby crashed the blunted end of her weapon into his head,knocking him out.

Meanwhile, in the midst of Tyrian's constant kiting-and-evading of team SSSN, Neo flashed from the shadows and joined Tyrian's battle. She shot a barrage of rounds that struck Sage in his shoulders, sending him crashing into Neptune and completely disorganizing the team.

Tyrian separated Sun from the rest of the group, the latter clutching his staff firmly.

"So'" Tyrian said, "You think you're quite the hotshot, huh?" He extended his tail. "Let's see what happens once they burn out."

Sun could tell by the malicious grin that he met his end, and with everyone else preoccupied in their own struggles, he had to meet his fate head on.

Yang was busy attempting to recover from her loss, she stared at the desolate field, and the circle of barely-detectable Grimm that was slowly advancing the group.

It seemed as if hope was fading.

[**Ren**]

My team was already out of the fight, team SSSN was nowhere to be found, and Yang was breaking down. Blake was catatonic. I seemed to be the only one left to fight. I looked down at Nora in my arms, gently brushing her hair back.

"I love you," I whispered. I set her down on the ground.

"Ruby!"

She spun in my direction, weapon in hand. "No matter what happens, I won't look for revenge!"

She said nothing in return, shooting back a wholly-malevolent gaze.

I drew StormFlower and fired at Ruby. She dodged each bullet, and closed in, swiping at me with her scythe; I blocked hard. I could sense her movements, and she knew it. We clashed again a few more times before I noticed a black spot on her shoulder.

She must've noticed my gaze, because she angled the spot away from me; I flanked her and shot at it anyway. Ruby blocked with Crescent Rose, letting the bullets deflect off of the blade.

As we fired at each other, we slowly started moving away from the others, heading to an area marked by dead trees. I kicked between two large trunks and gained the higher ground, raining down bullets on Ruby's position while she dodged and weaved through my shots. She kicked up and slashed at the tree I was on, tanking many of my point-blank shots with her aura. I jumped back, landing on another rickety branch.

Ruby flipped the scythe over and unloaded buckshot on my position, tearing my branch apart a little faster than expected, and leaving me falling to the ground.

I recovered on my feet, reloading and leaving myself open to a melee attack.

"Y'know," Ruby began, still standing on the tree branch, "I don't know why, but I expected you to say something. Maybe something about-"

I opened fire for a moment, provoking her into a fit of rage. Ruby jumped off and slashed aggressively; I leaped out of the way and aimed squarely for her exposed shoulder.

She screeched and hit the ground, gripping her shoulder. A black liquid started oozing out her shoulder and covered her hand. Exactly as I thought, I thought to myself, It's Grimm blood. She started right at me, her dark red irises back to silver, but foggy and filling with tears. I didn't want to fight her, much less hurt her, but if it is the way we must reconcile things, then so be it.

Her lips moved as if she was whispering something. Suddenly, the Grimm that circled us before began charging at me.

I looked left, then right. At least the others are safe from their gazes. I reloaded and began firing.

The sneakier members were able to be dispatched by a quick throat slash, and the mid range Grimm were almost deceptively easy to take out with just bullets. But still, as they got closer, I felt my strength fading faster and faster. I hacked and carved my way out of the hoard, but they followed me relentlessly. I concentrated on tracking down Ruby, who was holding her arm.

With a look of surprise at my continued survival, she whispered some sort of incantation, and all the Grimm stopped hunting me. One walked over to her, trembling, and in a morbid act of desperation, she bit its neck, forcing black blood to pour out all over her, healing her wound. I felt slightly squeamish; surely if the others were watching, they wouldn't feel any better.

Now I understood. This isn't Ruby anymore; I have to take her out, no matter the cost.

In the distance I saw Jaune approaching; I signaled him away; If I die, then the others should take the hint to retreat. If we both die... that's one less person to protect Ironwood, and - the way I see it - Remnant itself.

"Ruby," I began, perching one leg on a boulder, "You may never return from your path of evil."

She looked at me quizzically, her face buried in torn flesh.

"But I won't give you satisfaction from killing me. Even as your blade pierces the rungs of my rib cage, I will never scream, nor cry, nor suffer for your enjoyment. You are no more sentient than an insect, or a fish, or a bird. You are a creature of darkness, and such, I will fight you as such."

Her stare morphed into a glare. Hopefully my plan is working.

"You are Grimm. And I'm here to vanquish Grimm."

Ruby ceased engorging herself and gave her creatures the signal to resume attacking. She leaped from the carcass and raised Crescent Rose in the air.

"I can feel, Ren! I can think, and I know what's right for me!" I could see her tears flying off her face.

It worked perfectly.

I stepped out the way at the last moment, holding my blade out and slashing her abdomen with it. I fired and only stopped when a beowulf came too close for comfort.

I dodged and ran, sliding under a toppled trunk that the beowulf crashed through, stunning it. With StormFlower I fired at the head, exposing its cranium and blowing its face apart.

The Grimm started pouring out in droves after that; I could hear some of the others fighting, particularly Yang's punctual cries. However, they weren't in any close proximity to me. After a while, they backed off and formed a tight circle around me; Ruby jumped in and shot me, reducing my aura to nearly nothing, and opened a large gash on my back.

Falling to my knees, I was at her complete mercy. Weak from blood loss, I felt my body shutting down.

"You fought well, Lie Ren," Ruby said, creeping closer to me as she held he abdomen . "Now you can die with the rest of them." She rose her weapon. "Goodbye, old friend." Crescent Rose carved into my chest, tearing deep into my left arm and cracking my clavicle. I hit the ground, feeling myself going into shock.

Looks like this is goodbye, Nora. We had a good run while it lasted.


	14. 13: The Season To Come

[**Weiss**]

I was running, trying to get to Ruby, just to stop all this madness. I ran from the forest into a clearing, where Grimm were crawling like an infestation.

A large figure bolted at me and went for a punch at my face. I blocked with my sword, but I was sent flying backwards. I caught the face of my assailant - it was Yang, ready to attack again.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I got up, holding my hands out.

"Weiss? Oh, Weiss!" Yang grabbed me into a massive hug.

"Um, Yang, this isn't-"

"I know!" Before Yang could throw me out of the way, a Grimm charged at us, throwing us across the field.

We got up and got into our fighting stances. I was going to start attacking, when I nearly dropped my sword at what my eyes saw.

Ren was slashed from his shoulder down, hitting the ground, dead. Ruby stood over him, with her eyes glowing white, and her skin covered in black as blood poured from the gash in her gut.

She's a Grimm, and as huntresses, it's our sworn duty...

I buried the feelings of my guilt deep inside my mind, and looked at Yang, who choked a small nevermore out.

"Yang!" I said, "Get her while she's still weak!"

She followed my signal and knew who I was referring to. With a heavy sigh, Yang crossed the field with large strides, shouting her name.

Perfect, I thought. While she got her distracted, I quickly sneaked behind a wall of debris and got within striking distance of Ruby.

"Yang," Ruby said, her voice breaking, "You're the last person I want to hu -"

Myrtenaster almost went through her abdomen with a squish. I pulled out, with blood steadily leaking out - I must've hit an artery.

Ruby let out an ear-piercing screech, and did a 180 degree spin, knocking me away.

"You bitch! You backstabbing prick!"

My eyesight was blurred. The force of the impact knocked my sabre out of my hand. Around me, I heard the snarling of Grimm in its many permutations, and the cacophony of bullets and metal upon dirt and flesh.

Yang's hand helped me up off the ground. "Weiss, here! We're defending that little fort over there! I've got Ruby, you go over there, now!"

"Okay, but the rest-"

"Don't worry, we - we can put her down if there's more of us -"

An eruption of red petals appeared next to Yang, and the next thing I knew, I saw a large red gash along Yang's body. She fell and crumpled on the ground, howling in pain.

I immediately was forced to block the oncoming barrage of melee attacks from Ruby. Her normally slow follow-up melee attacks were increased to dagger-like speeds as she abused her semblance with seemingly no limit. With each hit, I felt my upper body strength failing as I was knocked back more and more.

Ruby held up her scythe and, like an axe, hit Myrtenaster with such force that I almost thought it broke. I fell to the ground, defenseless.

Ruby put her foot on my chest, and spat out blood. "Maybe... If you're gone, I can find peace."

I coughed, ignoring the rattling in my chest. "Maybe, if you just listened to me, this wouldn't have happened! But no, here you are, being childish, again. Maybe if I die, I'll be spared from your atrocities!"

Ruby screamed in rage, and was ready to stamp my face into the dirt when I saw a bullet hit her shoulder. She collapsed to the ground next to me.

I scrambled to my feet. "Blake?"

Blake said nothing. She ran and landed on Ruby, with her knee colliding on Ruby's stomach. Then, Blake began punching and clawing at her with a ferocity I hadn't ever seen from her before.

After a short while, Blake got up and stood still, and we both stared at Ruby's bloody face.

I turned to Blake. "Um, is she... you know..."

She nodded. "Yeah. She's dead. Now we can focus on Ironwood."

Ironwood, of course! I looked around; I saw Jaune tending to an unconscious Nora, and Grimm in the area seemed to have dissipated.

I spoke up. "Yang is wounded badly, I think I should go."

Blake looked at me with her steely eyes. "If you can convince him not to shoot you on sight, alright then."

"Before I do?"

A loud shot cracked through the air as Blake fell to the ground.

"What? How!" I exclaimed.

Ruby was standing, her wounds in the slow process of healing. "There's only one person I know whose fists kill," she said with a psychotic grin. "You think Blake can put me down? I'd like to see her try."

I dodged at the last moment as Ruby let out a barrage of buckshot, before she sprinted to the shed.

With Myrtenaster, I took careful aim and conjured a missile of dust-generated ice, hitting her squarely in the back. I ran and prepared to plunge the sword in Ruby when she leaped into the air with Crescent Rose, and swung at me, slashing my face open and knocking me into a nearby boulder.

I got up, trying my hardest not to faint from shock. I could feel the blood flowing down my outfit, staining it rust red. I gripped Myrtenaster hard, and tried to open my eye when I saw a red-white blob on the ground - my left eye was gone.

The pain was immeasurable when it hit. Each thrust of my sword hit nothing but air as Ruby toyed with my depth perception, before kicking me onto the ground, with Crescent Rose aimed at my head.

"Ruby," I said weakly.

"What now, Weiss, what now? You make me feel like crap, you betray me, you're forcing my hand here! What's your last words gonna be?"

I wiped the blood running down my face. "...you talk too much."

A sword impaled Ruby's right arm, and a shield smashed her head, stunning her.

I tried to make out my savior with my remaining eye. "...out of all the people..."

Jaune dragged me to a boulder, sitting me upright. "Don't worry Weiss, you'll be safe soon!"

He ran out of my sight with a battle cry, and I could hear the clashing of steel upon steel before I fainted from shock.

[**Ruby**]

How is it that out of all the people I fought, it's Jaune who overtook me?

I kept fighting, but my wounds were getting more severe, and his swordplay was much more slash-heavy than Weiss's little pokes and thrusts. It took me everything - and more - to even avoid his attacks, let alone hit him.

Eventually, I smacked him in the head with Crescent Rose's blunt end. I couldn't even muster the strength to finish him. I fell to my knees, bleeding to death from my wounds. I knew how screwed I was, turning this assassination attempt into a revenge quest. Salem's gonna have my head on a pike.

I almost hit the ground when I felt someone grab my collar from behind.

"Ugh, you look even more like shit. Looks good on you." Is that Tyrian?

"While you kept the girls busy topside, Neo and I took the Grimm to Ironwood. And look what we got!" Neo held up a decapitated head of a man, strong-jawed and clean-shaven...

It was Ironwood. Mission accomplished, finally.

"Thank... thank..." I could barely say anything; my vocal cords were fried, and my eyes closed. I looked at Blake, at Weiss and Yang, and all of the people that I loved, mustering what little energy that I had to speak.

"Next time... it's going to be the last time."

Tyrian laughed at my pining for revenge, and Neo used her semblance to get us out of there for good.

[**Blake**]

I got up, bleeding from my gunshot wound. It was an effort to even stand, but I had to find the others.

I gazed out at the field, looking at the various corpses. It took me what felt like forever to regroup with someone from my team.

Yang was leaning along a rock, holding her side in pain. I saw the grimace on her face, just as she leaned her head towards me. "Blake... it's you." She groaned, and I leaned down, also taking care not to injure myself. "Did we... did we win? Did we at least protect Ironwood? "

I took a deep breath. "We failed. We didn't stop ruby. I didn't stop Ruby."

"Then that means..."

"Yeah. Salem won. And I don't know how we can take it back."


End file.
